Tree protection



1V This invention relates to the protectionof treesA ancbshrubbery frominsects and other harmful influences. v

The-'objects of the invention, are'to provide a simple,'inexpensive andcommercially ,practicalv form of guard, which may be readily,`conformed, itted and applied to a tree, which maybe taken` oi and reusedas desired and which will properly shed rain and the like, while barringinsect travel4 up the trunk.

y These and additional objects are attained by:

the novel features. of construction, combinations and relations'of partsas hereinafter`v described, illustratedv in the accompanying drawing andbroadly covered in the claims.

Inthe drawing, one of the practical commercial forms of the invention isillustrated, but it is to be understood that the structure may bemodiiiedV and changed in various ways, all within vthe true intent andbroad scope of the invention.

f Fig. 1 is a broken part sectional side elevation showing an embodimentof the tree protector as in use.

Fig. 2 is a broken and part sectional plan View of the same.

The guard consists in the main of a strip of ilexilole resilientmaterial, such as a durable rubber composition molded to shape with awater shed 3, ending at the top or upper edge in a lip 4, tapered moreor less to closely t the trunk of the tree. This strip may be molded incontinuous lengths, which can be cut off to rit the trunk of the treeand the ends brought together as indicated at 5, and secured in closelyabutting or partly overlapping relation as by means of a clip I5. Thisclip is shown as having barbs or prongs 1, driven into the body of thestrip and as an extra precaution, to prevent the clip coming loose, itis shown as set in behind the undercut portions 8 of the rain shedextension 3.

To provide an absolutely close fitting joint with the tree trunk,packing may be employed as indicated at 9, held by the guard in a grooveIB, in the inside face of the same beneath the lip portion-4.

An insect repelling gutter and trap is provided in the illustration atII, in an extra or supplemental strip I2, overlapping the dependentskirt portion I3, of the main strip and secured thereover by the barbs,points or nails I4, projecting outward from the skirt portion I3. Thisgutter strip is shown as forced up under the eaves I5, of the shed, sothat it can not spring open after being caught over the supporting nailsor points I4, and if desired, a surrounding wrapping I6 or" cord, wireor the like, may be wound about the upper `Wall portion. ofthe gutterfstrip to bindf it tothe main guard-strip.v y

The gutter II maybe filled with insecticide or the like,as by means' ofone or moreAlling openings I 'I`,Vin theroof of thisV gutter istrip andto prevent it collapsing where it-'is spaced from they tree trunk,A itmay be reinforced and supported? atone or v'more points asby metalhangers or brackets I8. The joint in the gutter strip at I9,Fig'.-2,1may1be voffset' from the joint 5. inthe main strip andfmaybeheld closed and supportedlby Y v one-'oflthe' 'encompassing bracketsI8,

The guard mayv bef'readily applied` by cutting proper lengths fromstrips of the mainand sup' plemental materials and then `applying rst.the main sectiomsecuring it with'a. clip B, or lthe like, and thenslipping the gutter section in place beneathr the overhang of the mainsection. If desired, the strips maybe molded in curved instead of instraight lengths, so that they will have a natural tendency to hug thetree trunk. Nails may be employed Where found desirable to secure thestrips over irregular contours. Ordinarily however, the barbed clips 6,will be sufficient to hold the main strip in place, since these clipsare retained in the holding position by they undercut portions at 8, ofthe rain shed and which as indicated in Fig. 2, overstand the clips whenproperly positioned. When the main strip is cut to t the tree, theseends of the rain shed may be cut back at 8, suiciently to receive andfit over the securing clip. The hangers or brackets I8, may be of springmetal, shaped to t over the gutter strip and be sprung into positionthereover at various selected points suited to the particular shape ofthe tree and as required to hold the gutter up in shape.

When not needed, the guard may be readily re- 1 moved and stored, or bechanged yfrom one tree to another, etc.

What is claimed is:

1. A tree protector, comprising a strip of rain shedding materialconformably applicable to a tree trunk, a strip of gutter materialconformably applied and secured to said rain shedding strip, said rainshedding strip having an outstanding shed portion and a dependent skirtportion and" the gutter strip having a wall portion surrounding saidskirt portion beneath said shed portion' and carrying au dependentinternally open gutter positioned to be spaced from the trunk of thetree.

2. A tree protector, comprising a strip of rain shedding materialconformably applicable to a tree trunk, a strip of gutter materialconformi of the rain shed. Y

Vablyvapplied and secured to said rain shedding strip, said rainshedding strip having an outstanding shed portion and a dependent'skirtportion and Vthegutter strip `having awail portion surthe ends of saidrain shed portion being cut back' Vfrom the main body of the stripandsecuring means for the ends of the main body ofthe strip` tree trunk`and including spring bracketsshaped positioned beneath said undercut'endN portions 4. A tree guard, 'comprisinga length of flexibleprotecting material for surrounding a tree trunk,

- having an outwardly projectingA rain `shed portion,

the ends of saidrain Vshed portion being cut back from the mainbodyofthe-;strip, securin`g means for the ends of the'main'rbody of the strippositioned beneath said undercut endportions of the rain shed, saidsecuring means including a barbed clip driven into the mainl body of thestrip and overlapped by the undercut end portions of, the

Yrain shed.

5. A treeV guard, comprising a tree encircling strip having a lowerportion with outwardly pro-` y jecting fastenings, a second stripsurrounding said lowerportion ofthe rst strip {and impaiedon said saidVsurroundingv portion of the Vsecond strip.

6. A tree guard, comprising a flexible resilient v tree encirclingstrip, having an internal packing groove, an outwardly projecting rainshed and a dependent tree encircling wall, packing,Y in f said groove,means for securing said strip in position n on a tree trunk, a flexibleresilient strip having an outstanding inwardly open gutter exposed tothe tree trunk belowthe guard and having a wall projecting upr beneaththe outstanding rain shed in surrounding, relation .about lthe `lowerwall portion of the first strip and means securing said second Vstrip insaidsurrounding relation.

7. A tree guard, comprising 1a tree encircling strip of exible resilientmaterial formed with an 'inwardly open gutter and means for securingsaid strip in supported outstanding relation about va `to conform totheoutline of said gutter 'strip and y rubber-like material'having aniupsta'nding lflangev portion andan outwardly projectingextension A*carrying beneath the same a gutter, opening i'nwardly beneath'the flangeportion andsaid'strip adapted to becutlto` fit'the girth of aA tree,encircling means for binding said upstandingange portion inconformingengagement with a tree, means for sealing said upstanding fiange portionin rain shedding engagement with a tree trunk andwmeans for connectingr'the'cut ends of said gutter forming portionof said .cut strip tothereby provide acomplete gutter sealed in rain shedding relation andinwardly openk tol the vtree trunk. Y A f LOUIS GILIASSO;

